فصم عن نسيبِ الغواني ولا

فصم عن نسيبِ الغواني ولا

تخلّط وأعلنْ بمدحِ الإمامْ

تخلّط وأعلنْ بمدحِ الإمامْ

So abstain from love poetry about fair women, and do not

Turn away from the pleasures of youth, do not

mix themes; openly proclaim the Imam's praise.

Mix with them, and praise the just Imam instead,

بلعرب العادل المرتضى

بلعرب العادل المرتضى

سلالةُ سلطانَ نسلَ الكرامْ

سلالةُ سلطانَ نسلَ الكرامْ

Bilʿarab, the just, the approved,

The Noble Arab, Al-Murtada

Sultan's offspring, scion of the noble.

A descendant of the Sultan, a lineage of nobles

أقرّ لهُ بالغدى شهرةً

أقرّ لهُ بالغدى شهرةً

وفضلَ المساعِي جميعُ الأنامْ

وفضلَ المساعِي جميعُ الأنامْ

They have acknowledged his renown at morn,

Acknowledge him at dawn with fame

and the excellence of his endeavors—all humankind.

And that all people recognize his great efforts

ولا عيبَ فيه سوَى أنَّهُ

ولا عيبَ فيه سوَى أنَّهُ

أخُو شرفٍ بالعطايا الجِسامْ

أخُو شرفٍ بالعطايا الجِسامْ

There is no flaw in him, save that he is

He has no fault but that

a man of honor through immense gifts.

He is the brother of Sharaf, known for his immense generosity

فتى عنده البخلُ عيبٌ بمن

فتى عنده البخلُ عيبٌ بمن

يسمى فتى كارتكابِ الحرامْ

يسمى فتى كارتكابِ الحرامْ

A noble youth who deems miserliness a disgrace in one

A man who sees stinginess as a fault in one

called a noble youth, like committing the forbidden.

Who calls himself a man, like committing sins

هو الندبُ في الحربِ ليثُ الوغى

هو الندبُ في الحربِ ليثُ الوغى

وقد صارَ في السِّلم غيثَ الطعامْ

وقد صارَ في السِّلم غيثَ الطعامْ

He is the gallant one in war, the lion of battle,

He is the lion in battle, fierce in the fray

and in peace he has become a rain of sustenance.

And in peace he is the rain that brings food

وفي البذلِ أكرمُ مِنْ حاتمٍ

وفي البذلِ أكرمُ مِنْ حاتمٍ

وفي الحربِ ذُو عزةٍ وانْتقامْ

وفي الحربِ ذُو عزةٍ وانْتقامْ

And in giving he is more generous than Hatim,

In generosity he is nobler than Hatim

and in war he possesses might and vengeance.

And in war a man of dignity and vengeance

وآباؤه الغرُّ هُمْ سادةٌ

وآباؤه الغرُّ هُمْ سادةٌ

وأهل الندى والجفان الضخامْ

وأهل الندى والجفان الضخامْ

And his illustrious forefathers are lords,

His forefathers are all chiefs

and men of bounty and immense bowls.

The people of glory and lofty stature

فتى لا يبالِي بأعدائِه

فتى لا يبالِي بأعدائِه

وإنْ عَظُم الضربُ عندَ الزِّحامْ

وإنْ عَظُم الضربُ عندَ الزِّحامْ

A noble youth who pays no heed to his enemies,

A hero who does not care for his enemies

even when blows grow fierce amid the crush.

Even when the blows fall heavy in the crush

يُنسى المحبينَ أحبابَهم

يُنسى المحبينَ أحبابَهم

ويتركُ شجعانَهم كالنعامْ

ويتركُ شجعانَهم كالنعامْ

He makes lovers forget their beloveds,

Who makes his loved ones forget their loved ones

and leaves their brave men like ostriches.

And abandon their brave ones like ostriches

كريمٌ بخيلٌ بعليائِه

كريمٌ بخيلٌ بعليائِه

تعرَّفها قبلَ وقتِ الفِطَامْ

تعرَّفها قبلَ وقتِ الفِطَامْ

Generous, yet miserly with his lofty honor,

A generous man, stingy in his pride

which he knew before the time of weaning.

Recognized thus before the time of weaning

فمنْ أينَ أنسى ثنائي له

فمنْ أينَ أنسى ثنائي له

وَجَدْواه تترى علينا دَوَامْ

وَجَدْواه تترى علينا دَوَامْ

How, then, could I forget my praise of him,

How could I forget to praise him

while his bounty comes to us in constant succession?

When their friendship is constant upon us

مليكٌ لقاهُ شفاءُ القلوبِ

مليكٌ لقاهُ شفاءُ القلوبِ

ورؤيَا محيّاهُ برءُ السقَامْ

ورؤيَا محيّاهُ برءُ السقَامْ

A king: meeting him is the healing of hearts,

A king whose sight brings healing to hearts

and the sight of his face is a cure for sickness.

And seeing his smile, cures illness

ويمناه تغنى الورَى بالندَى

ويمناه تغنى الورَى بالندَى

وفي كفِّ يُسْراه موتُ الزُّؤامْ

وفي كفِّ يُسْراه موتُ الزُّؤامْ

And his right hand enriches humankind through bounty,

His right hand brings prosperity to the land

and in his left palm lies swift, dreadful death.

And in his left, death to adversities

شجاعٌ قوىٌّ له هيبةٌ

شجاعٌ قوىٌّ له هيبةٌ

يقومُ مقامَ الخميسِ اللُّهَامْ

يقومُ مقامَ الخميسِ اللُّهَامْ

Brave and strong, he commands awe,

A brave and strong hero of awe

standing in place of an immense army.

Taking the place of the magnificent fifth [caliph]

وأنصارُ الغرُّ منصورةٌ

وأنصارُ الغرُّ منصورةٌ

بجند المهيمنِ عند اللطامْ

بجند المهيمنِ عند اللطامْ

And the illustrious supporters are granted victory,

And the supporters of the noble one are victorious

by the Guardian's host amid the clash of blows.

With the troops of the All-Dominant in battle

وألويةُ العزِّ منشورةٌ

وألويةُ العزِّ منشورةٌ

بعدلِ ابن سلطان وافِى الذمامْ

بعدلِ ابن سلطان وافِى الذمامْ

And the banners of glory are unfurled,

The banners of glory are unfurled

through the justice of Sultan's son, faithful to his pledges.

By the justice of the Son of the Sultan, slayer of enemies

وأيدِي أعادِيه مقهورةٌ

وأيدِي أعادِيه مقهورةٌ

بزُرْقٍ العوالي وحَدّ الحُسَام

بزُرْقٍ العوالي وحَدّ الحُسَام

And his enemies' hands are overpowered,

And the hands of his enemies are defeated

by the blue points of lances and the keen sword's edge.

By the blue blades and the cutting swords

عليه صلاقانِ مِنْ ربه

عليه صلاقانِ مِنْ ربه

وأطيبُ رَدٍّ وأزكى سَلامْ

وأطيبُ رَدٍّ وأزكى سَلامْ

Upon him be [possibly two blessings] from his Lord,

Upon him, prayers from his Lord

and the finest response and the purest greeting of peace.

And the finest blessings and purest peace

ودُونَكَها مِنْ فتى مالَهُ

ودُونَكَها مِنْ فتى مالَهُ

سِوى مَدْحِكم بالقوافي مَرَامْ

سِوى مَدْحِكم بالقوافي مَرَامْ

And take it from a youth who has no

And below them, for the one whose sole ambition

aim but praising you in rhymed verse.

Is to praise you in verse